City bans marijuana businesses for six months

Grand Coulee passed an ordinance last Tuesday night declaring a moratorium on any type of marijuana operations in the city.

The moratorium came after a public hearing where three residents of the city spoke supporting the issue.

Speaking against any marijuana activity in the city were Cheryl Piturachsatit, Linda Black and Al Jordan. All were for the moratorium and against marijuana operations in the city.

The moratorium is for six months, effective from Tuesday’s meeting, to April 1, 2014.

Residents of Washington State voted approval of Initiative 502, which purports to decriminalize the possession, use, and sale of a certain amount of cannabis by persons who are over the age of 21 for recreational or non-medical purposes.

The moratorium will provide some time for the State Liquor Control Board to develop the rules and regulations determining the number of producers, processors and retailers of cannabis by county, and other such requirements covering the provisions of the initiative.

The council had discussed developing a moratorium ordinance earlier, but it never happened.